Among professionals and academics, people in business, military and political careers, significantly older ages at death were seen.

According to the survey published online in QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, an examination of causes of death showed that shorter lives were associated with accidents, infections and certain cancers.

Music legend John Lennon was shot by fan Mark Chapman in 1980, he was 40 years old

Lead author Professor Richard Epstein, from The Kinghorn Cancer Centre at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, said that a one off analysis "can't prove anything", but does "raise interesting questions".

First, if it is true that successful performers and sports players tend to enjoy shorter lives, does this imply that fame at younger ages predisposes to poor health behaviours in later life after success has faded?

Or that psychological and family pressures favouring unusually high public achievement lead to self-destructive tendencies throughout life?

Or that risk-taking personality traits maximise one's chances of success, with the use of cigarettes, alcohol or illicit drugs improving one's performance output in the short term?

Any of these hypotheses could be viewed as a health warning to young people aspiring to become stars.